ICE‘s New Facial Recognition App: A Threat to Your Rights
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is now deploying “Mobile Fortify,” a facial recognition technology (FRT) app, during street encounters. This raises serious concerns about privacy, civil liberties, and the potential for misidentification – impacting not just migrants, but U.S. citizens as well. A growing coalition of organizations, including the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), Asian Americans Advancing Justice, and the Project on Government Oversight, are demanding answers and a halt to its use.
What is Mobile Fortify and Why is it Concerning?
Mobile Fortify allows ICE agents to identify individuals by simply scanning their faces. This practice is deeply problematic for several reasons:
* No Opt-Out: You have no way to avoid being scanned.
* Discretionary enforcement: Agents appear to have broad discretion in using a facial recognition match as definitive proof of immigration status, even when other evidence suggests or else.
* Risk of Wrongful Detention: Relying on facial recognition as a primary determinant of immigration status is incredibly risky and could lead to unjust detentions and deportations. There’s already a documented case of a U.S. citizen nearly being deported due to a mistaken biometric match.
Beyond Immigration: Targeting Protected Activities
The dangers don’t stop there. mobile Fortify accesses a wide range of government databases, raising fears that federal officers could use it to target individuals engaged in First Amendment-protected activities, like protests.
What’s notably alarming is that ICE bypassed a standard Privacy Impact Assessment - a crucial step for evaluating the privacy implications of new government technologies. This suggests a disregard for established protocols and a lack of clarity.
A History of Facial Recognition Overreach
This isn’t the first time ICE has pursued mobile facial recognition technology.
* 2013: The EFF exposed the distribution of face recognition-equipped phones to law enforcement in San Diego, including federal immigration officers.
* 2019: Following EFF advocacy, a law was passed temporarily banning the collection of biometric data with mobile devices, effectively halting that program.
However, the fight continues. ICE’s renewed push with Mobile Fortify demonstrates a persistent desire to utilize this invasive technology.
What’s Being Done & What You Should Know
The coalition is calling on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to:
* immediately suspend the use of Mobile Fortify.
* Release the agency’s privacy analyses of the app.
* Clarify its policy on facial recognition technology.
This situation highlights the urgent need for greater oversight and regulation of facial recognition technology. Your privacy and civil liberties are at stake.Stay informed, and demand accountability from your representatives.
You can read the full coalition letter here.
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